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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29732070">Pure Indulgence</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/105NorthTower/pseuds/105NorthTower'>105NorthTower</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Chocolate Chips [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Cormoran Strike Series - Robert Galbraith</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Built For Stamina, Conversations, F/M, First Time, Furniture, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 07:01:51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>894</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29732070</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/105NorthTower/pseuds/105NorthTower</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Just getting this out of my system. May be read alone or as a sequel to veni vino venetia.</p><p>I should have called this "Built For Stamina" but it's too late now.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Robin Ellacott &amp; Max Priestwood, Robin Ellacott/Cormoran Strike</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Chocolate Chips [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2149713</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>32</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Pure Indulgence</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Robin Ellacott slid her key into her front door gingerly. Before she could grasp the knocker, pull the door towards the left and turn the key with the right amount of torque, finishing with a firm jiggle (the only way her key, a bad copy, would work) the door opened itself.</p><p>"Max! Were you waiting ... behind the door?"</p><p>Her flatmate shook his head. "Certainly not! Thought you were the postman. Came to pick up the post."</p><p>Robin rescued her key and came inside. She dumped her bag and hung her coat, and smiled at Max, who was    humming and making coffee.</p><p>"That smells good. Is there some going spare?"</p><p>"Never mind the coffee, Robin." He set about pouring her a cup. "Where have you been? It's midday and your bed wasn't slept in."</p><p>Robin took a sip and smiled at him.</p><p>"Oh god. You did. You and Strike. You finally ...?"</p><p>Unable to repress herself, Robin nodded, then her cheeks coloured and she grasped her coffee and peered into its swirls.</p><p>"Oh god, Robin!"</p><p>Max was never camp unless the role demanded it, but he was more animated than she'd seen him since Beef Casserole and Fight Night.</p><p>"So?"</p><p>"Yeah ..."</p><p>"So???"</p><p>"Max!"</p><p>"Never mind that Northern reticence now, Robin. I want details. I waive my right to pictures, but you have to give me something."</p><p>"It was ... nice."</p><p>"Nice?"</p><p>"This is great coffee, Max. How do you get the crema to do this swirl?"</p><p>He refused to be drawn by compliments.</p><p>"OK. We met at Liberty and went to The Ritz for  champagne."</p><p>"Why not go straight to The Ritz?"</p><p>"He bought me some scent first."</p><p>"Oh my."</p><p>"And I knew, once we were walking, that it was going to happen. He ... we ... were touching each other all the time. Not ... like that ... just ..."</p><p>"Little touches?"</p><p>"Yeah."</p><p>They smiled at each other.</p><p>"So then we were in The Rivoli, nice and snug, and ... exmageddon!"</p><p>"No!"</p><p>"His and mine. Both at the same time!"</p><p>"Shit! Was there a fight? Did Strike tell everyone he'd boxed 'in the Army, mate'?"</p><p>"No fight. I got his exes' new husband to first base with Matt's new wife and they all went away."</p><p>Max leaned on the counter. "Come on. More.  I've extra-d on BBC dramas less dramatic than this."</p><p>"So then we went to his place."</p><p>"Now we're getting somewhere."</p><p>Robin took another sip.</p><p>"You can't stop there. Think of all the nights I've spent watching Castle with you and knowing you're thinking about him and yet I've silently fetched tissues for the both of us and pretended we're both just really into Nathan Fillion ... "</p><p>"You are really into Nathan Fillion ..."</p><p>"... and said nothing! You owe me!"</p><p>"OK, so we're going to his. And the touching is out of control."</p><p>"Of course it is."</p><p>"But still really chaste, you know?"</p><p>"I love that bit. Sometimes I wish I could stay in that bit for a few weeks."</p><p>"His hands ..."</p><p>"Hmm-mm. He has good hands. I mean, objectively, they're good hands for the part."</p><p>"Max!"</p><p>"Not what I meant. I was not thinking about his parts! Of course, now I am."</p><p>"Well, stop it. Those parts are rightfully mine."</p><p>"Yes, Ellacott. We know."</p><p>"So we get there. It's dark by then, about eleven? We have a proper kiss in the doorway."</p><p>"Shame to waste it, if it's not taken."</p><p>"He's ...a very good kisser."</p><p>"I somehow thought he would be."</p><p>"All lips and breath and touching and tasting, not too much tongue. I hate that."</p><p>"We can agree to differ."</p><p>"Then we go up."</p><p>Her confidences suddenly dried up.</p><p>"One more thing. Please, and then I'm silent forever?"</p><p>She smiled, "That's a crock and you know it!"</p><p>"Yeah, but ... I'll be silent for a bit. Best I can do."</p><p>"I thought ..."</p><p>"Yes?"</p><p>"I thought we'd be all over each other. Because it's been so long coming."</p><p>"Finished before you could make the bed?"</p><p>"Exactly. But ..."</p><p>"Not?"</p><p>"Not."</p><p>"That doesn't count. That's what didn't happen!"</p><p>"These are my final words, Maxie, so make the best of them."</p><p>"OK."</p><p>"Two hours and thirty-eight minutes."</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"Between arriving and ... arriving."</p><p>"Christ."</p><p>"Took us over an hour to undress each other. And I wasn't hiding in the loo for any of it. I'm never, ever getting rid of this dress."</p><p>Max stood and emptied his mug. </p><p>"The rest is yours. I need to go and walk Wolfgang. And find Craig and ... do some man-to-man stuff."</p><p>"I'll see you later."</p><p>"Just so you know, I'll be gone a good two hours and thirty-eight minutes. In case you have ironing to do, or need to phone him for a refill."</p><p>"Understood."</p><p>He walked out, then came back with Wolfgang on his lead.</p><p>"I almost forgot! Your delivery came this morning."</p><p>"Oh?"</p><p>"Don't know who from, very mysterious, it was like the home furnishings section of MI5. They said you knew all about it and it had to go in your room. I told them it wouldn't fit, but they were very helpful - we moved your bed over a foot and put your dressing table by the wardrobe, and it fits in the bay window. Looks gorgeous, you have great taste and I want one. See you later, Robin."</p><p>Robin went to her room, kicked off her shoes and settled into blue velvet, with a satisfied smile.</p>
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